OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Bear Lake, MI 49614

Bear Lake: median income $72,250, home value $223,100, $201/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mason, WI 54856 97%279$76,500$193,800$221 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Centertown, MO 65023 96%515$72,663$221,200$193 smaller
Pennellville, NY 13132 93%500$72,473$197,200$208 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Livermore, ME 04253 92%785$70,441$221,800$242 Very close on everything we compare
Lancaster, VA 22503 92%682$74,051$272,000$211 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Hilbert, WI 54129 92%104$67,381$279,700$208 pricier homes ($57K more)
Deerbrook, WI 54424 92%159$77,500$229,700$223 smaller
Garrison, ND 58540 92%773$76,319$228,000$207 Very close on everything we compare
Penn Run, PA 15765 91%449$73,646$186,000— cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Dauphin, PA 17018 91%546$72,188$238,700$170 Very close on everything we compare
Fairfield, VA 24435 91%576$70,114$203,700$218 smaller
New Harmony, IN 47631 91%445$66,058$197,100$191 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Friendship, ME 04547 90%832$75,625$275,000$242 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Pittsford, VT 05763 90%653$71,833$218,600$186 Very close on everything we compare
Vermontville, NY 12989 90%596$84,464$228,400$199 smaller
Fabius, NY 13063 90%519$84,063$230,200$161 smaller
Crescent, PA 15046 90%403$81,992$195,600$178 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older homes
Waterford, OH 45786 90%410$70,917$218,500$140 Very close on everything we compare
Porterfield, WI 54159 90%97$69,375$186,100$177 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Rudolph, WI 54475 90%180$79,500$196,700$186 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older homes
Nevis, MN 56467 90%454$74,297$318,000$263 pricier homes ($95K more)
Underwood, MN 56586 90%488$79,583$309,800$268 pricier homes ($87K more)
Whitefield, ME 04353 89%818$73,875$242,300$247 5 min longer commute
Shaftsbury, VT 05262 89%653$71,417$253,600$208 pricier homes ($31K more) · more renters
Cogan Station, PA 17728 89%507$77,165$235,500$172 larger · younger residents

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.